Pakistan says ready to work with SCO members to make organization ‘stronger, effective’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday assured the secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that Islamabad was ready to work with member states to make the inter-government body “stronger, effective” as it seeks to forge deeper economic and trade ties with them. 
Pakistan hosted the SCO’s Council of Heads of Government summit from Oct. 15-16 this week in Islamabad where regional leaders representing China, India, Russia, Iran and other countries arrived. 
The SCO is a key Eurasian political, economic and security alliance founded in 2001 by China, Russia and several Central Asian nations. Over the years, it has expanded to include countries like India and Pakistan, making it a significant regional bloc.
Sharif received Zhang Ming, SCO’s secretary-general, who was in the Pakistani capital for the summit. The Pakistani premier thanked Ming for his support in conducting the regional summit. 
“He [Sharif] stressed that Pakistan stood ready to work with SCO Member States so as to make the organization more effective and stronger,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. 
He reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to the SCO’s charter, adding that Pakistan would continue to work wholeheartedly to promote SCO’s development priorities for the benefit of its member states and the wider region. 
“Mr. Ming warmly felicitated the Prime Minister on the successful organization of the SCO CHG Meeting and its positive outcome,” Sharif’s office said. 
“He appreciated Pakistan’s constructive contributions to SCO’s work and activities across all domains and expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s leadership role as SCO CHG chair.”
PAKISTAN, MONGOLIA TO FORM MINISTERIAL COMMISSION
Separately, Sharif met his Mongolian counterpart Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene where the two leaders spoke about bilateral ties between their countries. 
Sharif suggested the two countries mark 2025 as the year of Pakistan-Mongolia friendship to enhance their bilateral relationship. 
“Both leaders agreed on forming a Joint Ministerial Commission to enhance cooperation in trade, tourism, agriculture and mining sectors,” the PMO said.
“Establishment of an inter-parliamentary union was also agreed in the meeting to expand the parliamentary relations between the two countries,” it added.